Rodgers said: "Someone showed me something on that. Listen, we respect that they are a very good side.

"All we can do is control what we can, so whatever Bayern Munich 's intentions are I have the utmost respect for them and their team.

"For us, it is about earning the respect at this level hopefully over the next few years and for that you have to perform well."

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Lewandowski is not the only absentee from Bayern's star-studded squad, with World Cup winning duo Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer also sitting on the sidelines.

Franck Ribery and Juan Bernat are two further casualties ahead of Tuesday's tie, as the Hoops attempt to hit back from their 3-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena a fortnight ago.

The striker will miss out against Celtic

Rodgers, however, is taking little comfort from the holes in the Bayern side, as he believes the Bundesliga champions still possess more than enough quality to remain formidable opposition for his team.

He added: "Of course it is two players who have been world class consistently for a number of years.

"Lewandowski is one of the world's best strikers with his movement, his speed and the quality, and he has been consistently doing that for a few years.

"And Muller is a player who I have always loved in terms of wherever he has played, whether a striker, or on the right, or as he did against us, an advanced midfield player.

"He is a very gifted player and his will and desire to play well is always there.

"So those two players, of course, will be a miss for them but they have some very good players behind that to come in like James Rodriguez, who came in and scored in one of the last few games.

"They are a talented team, they have been put together to win this competition so we know the magnitude of the test but it is one that we will relish."